One direction’s questionable spandex outfits explained

When Record Store Day launched back in 2007, the only ones buzzing around the stacks of coveted vinyl were “old guys, collectors,” according to founder Michael Kurtz. Now, it seems, Directioners could be usurping the white-haired set.

As vinyl sales continue to climb year over year, Kurtz said the age of Record Store Day‘s denizens has started to fall — a state of affairs heralded by the release of One Direction‘s special edition picture disc single, “Midnight Memories.”

The vinyl of “Midnight Memories,” which features the boys all gussied-up like hair metal rockers, was inspired (at least indirectly) by a pretty iconic source.

According to Kurtz, he was at a meeting of global Record Store Day reps when “the guy who runs KISS spoke up and said, ‘This is great and we’re all excited and this is good, but what are we doing to connect with teens?'”

“We said, ‘Well, One Direction is on Sony, can we reach out to management and see if they would be interested in working with us on Record Store Day?'” Kurtz said.

Originally, RSD pitched the band the idea of having a picture disc for each member of the band, each featuring a different single — a kind of collectible deal.

“All of us come from that background,” Kurtz said. “I’m in my 50s so I grew up with the ’60s version of One Direction, The Monkees, and I bought everything. I collected everything.”

The band responded with gusto, and settled on the idea of having a single record featuring the hair metal ensemble snap.

“I think it’s their own humor, them having fun,” Kurtz said. “That’s exactly why we wanted this to happen. When you start working with artists that skew much younger, they’re still into having fun and not being so serious.”

“What we’ve seen happen with Record Store Day and the whole relaunching of vinyl is that the artists, and even younger artists, are totally embracing vinyl and I think [1D is] just another one,” he added. “Their generation is taking ownership of it.”

Which band would you like to see hit Record Store Day next? Tell us in the comments!